Never Give Up
by Puldoh
Summary: Mikey and Raph are both injured and alone...Mikey is hurt...so is Raph...who ends up saving who?


Mikey grinned as he ran through the sewers, hearing the splashing noises he was making as he ran from Raph. He tried to hold back a giggle when he heard Raph growling a distance behind him, the sound echoing through the sewers.

_He sounds like a papa bear!_ He thought as he continued to run. He glanced back once more, not paying attention to where he ran, when he tripped over a slight hole in the sewer tunnels, skidding and rolling in the dirt and grime.

Mikey groaned, his legs burned in pain, feeling like he got shredded. He glanced down, afraid to look, when he saw the cracks growing around him.

His eyes widened in fear, and his mouth opened to yell, "RAPHIE!"

He knew his older brother would come. He didn't understand why the ground below him was crumbling, but if he ever learned anything from Donnie, was he should not move at all or it will crumble, taking him with it.

Mikey glanced around, shivering as he remembered the lesson with ice he had fallen through last year, learning the hard way not to move. He remembered how sick he was, and how he missed his 12th birthday because of it.

"RAPHIE! HELP!" he cried out, before freezing once more, his yell made the cracks grow a bit longer.

His legs burned, bleeding freely around him, and his hands hurt from trying to stop his head from face-planting the ground when he fell. He heard Raph's footsteps coming closer, his voice low and gruff, but filled with fear and concern, "MIKEY, WHERE ARE YA!"

"I'm here Raphie," Mikey whispered, afraid to scream again, as he glanced around the sinkhole that was slowly growing.

Raph came closer, and when Mikey glanced up, he saw Raph's eyes widen, about to rush forward when Mikey screamed, "NO!" but it was too late…

He could feel the ground crumbling, and knew it was both his and Raph's fault as the cracks grew in length, this time crackling its way under Raph. They both screamed as they fell, rocks, dust and debris falling around them.

Mikey screamed as loud as he could, terrified and panicked. He coughed in dust, choking on it, feeling rocks and bits of concrete landing on him. He hit the bottom with a thunk, groaning as something hard hit the back of his shell, pinning him in place.

He gasped for air, choking on the remaining dust still falling. He felt his eyes growing heavy, panting in the hot air and dust.

As he was about to close them, a thought occurred to him _Raphie! Where's Raphie?_ And he struggled to get loose, kicking and moving his arms frantically as he struggled but couldn't get loose. He whimpered, seeing the dust finally clearing some, and saw he was pinned down by a large boulder. He was pinned between the wall and the other side of the boulder.

He felt tears build up as he glanced around frantically, "RAPHIE! Raphie, answer me, please….don't be dead, don't be dead," he chanted, still trying to wriggle free. The combination of struggling and moving, made him start coughing in the dust still in the air, making him wheeze.

His eyes closed without him realizing it.

Mikey shivered in the cooler air, wondering what was wrong. He hurt, all over, and couldn't breathe in. _Where am I?_ he thought as he struggled to open his eyes. _Ugh, why can't I open them….who put glue on my eyes_ he thought vaguely as he forced them open.

He stared at the darkness for a few seconds, before he felt little tickling sensations over his lower legs. He frowned, unsure of what it was, or even where he was, when he glanced up. He saw the sewers above him and frowned.

_Why am I down here? What…I…I was being chased…RAPHIE! Where is Raphie?_ His eyes snapped opened, his body suddenly tense, and he ignored the burning pain in his lower legs, and the throbbing pain in his arm.

"RAPHIE!" he called out slowly, not wanting to believe his brother was gone.

"Raphie…please…answer me…" he cried out, tears filling his eyes.

But it was silence all around him, and it made him tremble. He hated being alone, and hated that he may have killed his brother.

Mikey felt himself panting again, wondering what was going to happen now, he was trapped, with no way out.

He felt tears build in his eyes but he hastily wiped them away. _NO! Raphie never gives up, and neither will I! _

He reached back towards the boulder, testing on which way he could move. _Maybe I can slide out? I know Master Splinter said we can do things if we just believed in ourselves._

Mikey glanced around, looking for anything that will help, but couldn't see anything except the dirt floor they fell on. _WAIT! This is dirt! We must be under those older tunnels….these are made of dirt! I bet I can dig my way out!_

Mikey grunted as he shifted, but started using his cut up hands, ignoring the stinging as he started shovelling the dirt away under him. The pain in his hands soon was forgotten, his mind only on escaping and helping his brother. He didn't know where Raph was, but he was going to find him.

He coughed and coughed as he cleared away piles of dirt. He didn't know how long it was taking him, it was completely dark underneath them, but he was getting some light from the sewer tunnels. He knew Donnie said that those lights were always on, and would never go out. _Thank God Donnie knows that kinda thing….I wish he was here right now though…I'm so tired…but Raphie…Raphie needs me…_

With that thought, he became more determined to help his older brother. He grunted again, coughing as he pushed aside another pile of dirt. He shimmied again, and cried out in glee as he felt his shell move slightly.

_I can get out! Never give up! Keep Going!_

He whimpered, slowly pushing outwards, when his shell caught on something. He moaned, trying to shimmy side to side to get loose. _What am I stuck on?_ He thought weakly as he glanced up behind him.

He frowned when he saw it _That doesn't make sense…..why is that part stuck…I did the hard part_

Mikey felt like crying, or panicking, and did something of both. He screamed in fear and panic, ignoring the sound of his shell scraping against the rock. He screamed, his vision going black and red, as something felt like it was tearing off his shell.

He didn't know how long he laid there, panting, feeling exhausted and shaking in pain. He whimpered, not wanting to look back. _NO! Ignore it…Raphie needs me…_Mikey thought, the chant growing in his head as he continued to push through.

Mikey nearly cried in relief as he felt himself plop free, landing on the dirt. He could feel the tears falling down his face, but forced himself to ignore it. His shell felt like it was bleeding, but he knew that couldn't be right.

He felt it throbbing deep inside, like fire burning along his shell, and his legs ached and throbbed. _Don't look Mikey. If you can't see how bad you're hurt, then you can keep going. Raphie needs you…don't give up, not now…_

With that final thought, he forced himself to his feet, crying out as everything sent a shock throughout his system, fire and pain crackled along his spine, and through his legs. He choked back a sob, but staggered to a nearby pile, weakly calling Raph's name.

He wondered how long it had been since they fell. He vaguely remembered that Donnie said that when you're injured, time either went by quickly, or too slow. But to keep focussed on one task until help arrives.

"Raphie, Raphie, Raphie," he chanted to himself, his voice seemingly loud in the small crevice he had created.

"M- Mikey," came a raspy voice from the darkness, making him yelp in surprise, caushing another jolt down his spine.

"Raphie, oh my god, are you alright?" Mikey asked weakly, hurrying over rocks and debris as he moved towards the voice he heard.

"Hurts….leg…" Raphie coughed out, moaning.

_Oh boy, he sounds…he sounds bad….what do I do?_ Mikey thought panicked as he finally found where Raph was trapped. He frowned as he felt the medium sized boulder pinning Raph's leg down, _Wow, these boulders really want to make us turtle pate, don't they?_ He thought weakly.

"Hey Raph….just stay awake, okay?" Mikey said encouragingly, looking over the boulder carefully. _That's what Donnie always says, to keep someone awake…I wish Raph would stop morphing. It would make it easier to see where his leg was…_ Mikey thought as he tried focussing.

He cried out in sudden pain as he felt Raph touch his shell, his nerve endings on fire, a short choked scream leaving his throat.

"Holy shit Mikey, what da Shell was tha'?" Raph asked, his gruff voice seemed to be rougher, filled with sudden fear but still had that commanding older brother tone. _Geez, do they ever stop sounding like an older brother_ Mikey thought, trying to distract himself from the burning pain inside him.

"Just…just don't touch…I…it just hurts…'kay?" Mikey said breathlessly, his lungs felt like it was filled with dust as he coughed a few times. _I gotta get Raph outta this…but how?_

"Raph…I…I'm gonna try ta push this off, okay?" Mikey said slowly, making his brother look at him.

"Ya…sure…be careful Mike…" Raph said, his voice a little odd and detached. _Raph, don't you dare get worse!_

"Okay Raph…but ya gotta talk to me, okay?" Mikey said, grunting as he moved closer. He felt the boulder carefully, making sure to grab a good part so his hands wouldn't slip. They throbbed as his hands touched cold cement, and he put all his energy into pushing it.

He heard Raph crying out in pain as he grunted, the rock moving slightly forwards, making him almost cry out in joy, when it suddenly slipped and fell back on Raph's leg.

Raph's scream was loud, echoing through the little chasm they were in, making Mikey's ears throb in pain. _I'm sorry, I'm sorry_ Mikey chanted as Raph's scream slowly faded, his older brother limp against the rock wall he leaned against.

Mikey felt the tears building, but he was determined too…stubborn according to his brothers. _Well, they say I'm a pain in the Shell…I might as make it true…_ he thought weakly as he crouched against the boulder, his shell against it. _This is sooo going to hurt…._

He bit his lip, a strangled scream choked out as he pushed against the boulder with his shell, but he felt it move. He groaned, black spots danced in front of his face as he continued to push, feeling the boulder shifting, hitting something that would make it roll back on Raph's leg. Little short gasps of pain were the only thing heard as the boulder suddenly made a crackling sound against the lip of the ground, and rolling the other way.

Mikey groaned, feeling himself falling backwards as he hit the ground with a loud crack. He screamed in pain as his shell took the hit, the electricity and fire flowing through his body once more. _It hurts, it hurts…make it stop…make it stop!_ He sobbed for a few minutes, his gasps and sniffs sounded loud to his ears.

He whimpered as he slid to his side, his shell still throbbing painfully. _Don't look at it, don't look at it…Raphie…he needs help…so get up….get up now and check his leg…com'n Mike, don't be a baby, you're 13 now, you can do it!_

Mikey whimpered as he pushed himself to his hands and knees, and crawled towards Raph, seeing he was still unconscious.

"Raphie…wake up Raphie!" he called out, but Raph didn't stir. He immediately placed a hand on Raph's chest, feeling the chest rise and fall calmed him. He glanced down at the leg, wincing as he saw it was clearly broken in two places. _Well…at least it didn't break the skin_ he thought weakly as he stared at it.

_What do I do? Do I just leave it like that…it looks so bad…should I put it back the way it needs to be?_ He shook his head, feeling sick at the thought, _No, that's something Donnie gotta do…But how do I get him home?_

He glanced up at the chasm, shaking his head, _I don't know…it's not that tall, maybe about 15 feet…I can climb…but Raph is hurt…How do I get him up there? I don't have anything!_ _Maybe Raph does!_

Mikey scurried towards Raph, examining his body. He groaned, shaking his head, _Man, why is it that the one time I need Raph to carry his gear, he doesn't!...what's this?_ Mikey glanced closer, smiling in glee as he saw the rope tied to the back portion of Raph's belt.

"Yes sir Raphie-boy, that's a good boy scout!"he cheered, pulling it free. He immediately started preparing himself, as he strapped Raph over his back, tying him tightly to him. He grunted, _Geez Raph, that better be muscle, because I swear if it's Fat, you are so going on a diet!_ He groaned, wincing as pain shot up his legs.

He slowly pushed himself towards the side wall, grabbing his spikes from his belt, and slipping them on. He ignored the burning pain shooting through him as Raph bumped and rubbed against the injured part of his shell, concentrating on getting him home.

_I wish you were awake Raphie…then maybe I wouldn't have to do this!_ Mikey thought weakly, as he placed his palms against the wall slightly above him. He groaned as the pain made his world go white, a loud growing sound of pain leaving his mouth. He grunted as he forced himself up, slowly panting as he counted each foot.

Mikey felt tears of pain building in his eyes as his body protested what he was doing, the rope pulling tight against his shoulders and neck, not able to slip in any way, or Raph would fall.

He nearly gave up near the top, when he pulled Raph over the edge of the chasm, panting and gasping for air. He wanted to cry, to burst into tears. _That hurt Raphie…it hurts…so much…_ he thought as he laid in the cold water and muck. He heard Raph groan in pain behind him, his breath hot against his neck.

_I gotta get him home! He needs help…_

He groaned, crying out as he pushed himself back to his feet, his body screaming it protests and his vision turning into an array of colors before it slowly clears. He staggered forward, each limb to heavy it seemed, as he slogged forward.

_Why did I run so far?_ He thought weakly. He heard his stomach rumble weakly, and Raph's panting gasps behind him. _He must have broken ribs…or something…god…this hurts…stop it Mike, don't give up, Never give up!_

Mikey gave up trying to guess how long he walked as he finally just gave up walking. He crawled towards a little ledge, pulling Raph behind him. He couldn't risk untying him, he didn't know if could. He laid down, closing his eyes tiredly as he rested for a moment.

_Why does it have to be cold and dank down here….I wish I was home…having some stew or something….its cold….Raphie….poor Raphie…he's so hot…._ Mikey's eyes snapped open as he realized that was true.

"Raph is hot…crap….maybe he has an infection or something!" he said to himself. He groaned, "He needs to be home! Master Splinter and Donnie can help him," and grunted as he pulled himself to the edge of the ledge, hopping back down. Raph's body jolted behind him, the rope tugging in that direction, almost making him fall over.

"Com'n Raphie…ya gotta wake up…you're making me do all the work," Mikey whined as he continued staggering down the tunnels, "But I gotta admit, with you so warm, you're making me nice and warm…but you shouldn't be warm…"

Mikey continued to talk, "Seriously Raph, it was just a prank you know, ha ha? Why can't you just enjoy it? Laugh, you know, remember that?" he said, talking to Raph like he was listening, "I mean…you always so grumpy lately, and it's not cool! Ya gotta chill…well both you and Leo…"

"Sorry Mikey," he heard behind him, making Mikey jump in pure shock, whirling around. He forgot Raph was tied behind him, and doing that was useless.

He heard Raph moan and making a gurgling sound, before he felt a hot liquid splash the back of his neck and shell, "Oh gross, gross, gross," he chanted, feeling it slide down his neck and body. _He threw up on me! That is so totally not cool!_

"You hurled on me!" Mikey cried out, feeling sick and disgusted, but growing really worried about Raph.

"Ya fault…don't move…ya makin' me sick…" Raph said, coughing weakly.

"You got to stay awake Raph, please….if you do…I'll….I'll pull a prank on someone," Mikey said, thinking of anything that would make Raph stay awake as he hurried home.

Raph's chuckled weakly, "Ya…get fearless?"

"Sure Raph, I'll get Fearless, but you need to stay awake so Sensei and Donnie can look at you!" Mikey begged as worry flared through him as he heard Raph gagging again. He breathed a sigh of relief when he realized it was just dry retching.

_No more puke...thank god..._

"What's wrong with you?" Mikey asked, ignoring the pain as he pushed himself. He could feel his lungs flaring as he struggled to breathe evenly, nearly running down the tunnels, recognizing the way home. _I'll be home soon...just a few more minutes..._

"Sick….gonna puke…" Raph whispered behind him, panting on his neck.

"Don't puke dude, please!" Mikey begged, seeing the lair ahead, and ran to it, jostling Raph's body everywhere as he punched in the code.

The doors slide open and he stepped inside, hitting the close button on the door, crying out, "DONNIE! SENSEI! HELP!"

He glanced around, hearing the sound of racing feet towards him, and he knew he was safe. He looked up, seeing Master Splinter rushing towards him, Don and Leo beside him, and knew he was safe.

Mikey felt his eyes closing as he finally gave into the darkness, falling...

* * *

><p>When he woke up, he felt sleep and tired, the pain was dull and seemed not with him. <em>That's funny…I could have sworn….that I was in pain…but it's here…but it's floating over there….I wonder how Donnie did that…he should do that all the time…<em>

He heard a low murmuring, and knew it was someone talking. He tried focussing on the sounds, trying to piece together what he was hearing so when he was awake, he wouldn't be surprised.

"-endure that? I'm sure it hurt," he heard Donnie's voice ask, his voice filled with wonder and awe.

"You're brother is filled with courage and is quite stubborn. He found a way, any way to help," he heard Splinter's voice respond.

_Awww, they're talking about Raphie…that's awesome…he is a stubborn brother…._He felt his eyes closing once more on the darkness, and he latching onto it, relishing in the darkness.

* * *

><p>Mikey groaned loudly, shifting his body from the side onto his shell.<p>

He cried out in pain as his shell felt on fire, shooting pain through his spine and crackling inside him. He bolted to the side, gasping and writhing as he fell from the bad landing on his hands and knees, panting.

"Whoa Mike, shhh, it's okay, just stay off your shell, alright?" he heard Don say behind him. He tensed briefly when Don touched his shoulder.

"Don't touch the Shell," he murmured, eyes growing wet from the pain he caused himself, "Hurts," he whispered.

"I know Mike, but it's going to be okay," Don said, helping him up, "Here take these," he said with a smile, handing a glass of water and two pills to Mikey.

Don sat down beside him, "Take those," he said with a smile.

"'Kay Donnie," he whispered, popping the pills and drinking the water.

It was silent for a moment before Don spoke again, "Wow Mike…you're like my hero right now."

Mikey's head shot over, his eyes wide as he stared at Don, "What? Why! I didn't do anything like a superhero."

A voice from the doorway made his head whip that way, "Of course ya did ya nutball, ya saved me! Ain't tha' wha' Heroes do?"

"RAPHIE!" Mikey cried out, elated to see his older brother was fine, "Are you okay? What happened? Dude, you like totally upchucked on me!"

HE heard his brothers chuckling nearby, and Raph using crutches as he came closer, "I'm okay now…ya did good," Raph grunted, sitting down, "I was worried 'bout you."

"Me? Why were you worried about me? You were the one asleep…well..not asleep..but…un…uncon.." he glanced at Don for help.

"Unconscious," Don supplied the word, "meaning he was unable to see, hear, or otherwise sense what is going on, usually temporarily and often as a result of an accident or injury."

"Yeah, that," Mikey said, his eyes flashing with worry, glancing at Raph.

"I was unconscious…but ya got me free and brought me home…what else does a hero do?" Raph asked as he relaxed in a chair. "When I woke up, I was more concerned about you," Raph said.

"Me, why me?" Mikey asked, totally forgetting about his own injuries, "how were you hurt?" eyeing the cast on Raph's leg that reached from mid-thigh to ankle.

"Raph's leg was broken in two places, and fractured above his knee. His ribs were also badly bruised, and he got bit by something which made him sick," Don explained the injuries.

Mikey's eyes filled with shock, "But you're okay?"

"Donnie and Masta' Splinta' say I'm gunna be fine. They…and me…were concerned about'cha ya," Raph said, glaring at him.

Mikey flinched at the glare, "Why?" clearly confused.

Leo burst out, "Why? You were unconscious for nearly 4 days! Even Raph woke up like 3 days ago! And what did you do to your shell?"

"WHAT!" sounding shocked, "You're joking, I wasn't that badly hurt! How long were we gone for?" Mikey countered, looking at Don for confirmation.

"Nearly 27 hours Mikey…we were frantic….but when you came in, you were pretty sick…you had a high fever, and bruised ribs as well…you're legs were pretty red and infected…still are pretty bad…." Don slowly recounted his injuries, "but what we couldn't figure out was how your Shell got so scraped up…some of the scutes are missing or torn right off…what did you do?"

Mikey slowly recalled his shell scraping the boulder he was trapped under. _T__he sound of bone scraping painfully in the air, the scream of pain as his shell suddenly felt on fire and being attached by small knives. It even bled…._

He shivered in remembrance, "I got free….I hadda help Raphie…so I got free…" tears filling his eyes as he remembered the terror and fear. _How alone he had felt when he realized he had to depend on himself to help his brothers._

Mikey vaguely heard Donnie talking, explaining that his Shell would heal slowly over time, but would be sensitive to touch and hits for about a month or so.

He started trembling as he remembered the sound of his voice echoing in the shadows, never returning with Raph's voice answering back.

_Raph has to always be there to answer….I don't ever want to go through this again...I was scared. _

"Ya okay?" Raph asked, his voice filled with concern.

Mikey smiled, grabbing Raph's hand, "Ya, I'm okay…tired though…" _It's okay Raphie...just tired...and sore..._

"Brat," Raph he said with a smile, "Get some sleep, where right here."

Mikey yawned, nodding his head tiredly, "I never gave up Raphie...never..." he whispered.

"Don'tcha forget it Mike," Raph said, whispering quietly in his ear, "don't ya ever try ta give up...you still owe me a major prank on Leo when ya can do it…"

"No problem….gonna have fun…." He murmured quietly, basking in their love as he drifted off to sleep.

* * *

><p>THREE WEEKS LATER:<p>

"Mikey, what the Shell did you do with my candles and books!" Leo asked frantically, his eyes slightly crazed as he glanced around.

Mikey giggled, smiling at Raph who was watching, "Here ya go Leo, you're stuff are here, but you gotta get each one, one by one," he said with a smile.

"What do you mean?" Leo asked, seething at him.

"Simple, I give you the first clue, and you find where it is, to get the second clue," Mikey explained, "but if you don't accept, then you are in for a whole month of me bugging you during meditation."

Leo's eyes widen, and for a moment, he seemed to look like his 13 year old self, as he glared at Mikey. "Give me back my stuff!"

Mikey grinned, a smile growing on his face as he saw Leo read the first clue. He stifled a giggle, glancing at Raph who was watching eagerly also.

"Nope, you got to find it on your own Leo...com'n, you have to play the game! It's fun..." Mikey said with a grin.

Leo quickly figured out what the first clue said, and lifted the small pink box, opening it. He gasped as he was splashed in the face by a shaving cream pie.

Raph and him burst out into laughter, both of us had a camera as we took Leo's picture.

"Yeah…this was totally worth it," Mikey said laughing.

_He never gave up...how can I? Gotta keep this family smiling!_


End file.
